Austria's protective role for South Tyrol – Italian Ambassador called to the Austrian Foreign Ministry to provide clarification

Vienna, 9 November 2012 - The Secretary General for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dr. Johannes Kyrle, invited the Italian Ambassador Eugenio d'Auria to the Ministry for European and International Affairs to clarify the protective role that Austria plays for South Tyrol.

Ambassador Kyrle made it clear that Austria will continue to diligently fulfil its internationally accepted protective role for South Tyrol. The same had been repeatedly underlined by Vice-Chancellor, Foreign Minister Dr. Michael Spindelegger in the past few days. It is the clear objective of Austria to secure South Tyrol's autonomy and the identity of its population also in future. This objective will not change.

Austria's protective function for South Tyrol is based on the Treaty of Paris 1946 and the ensuing practice under international law. In the 1960s, Austria brought the autonomy of South Tyrol before the United Nations, a dispute that was only ended with the dispute settlement declaration of 1992.